The morning of 2 June 1866 was hot and humid as the volunteers of the Queen’s Own and 13th Battalion marched down main street of Ridgeway, Ontario towards battle with the invading Fenian Army. 150 years later, Saturday 4 June 2016 was just as hot and humid but for the volunteers of the Queen’s Own Museum and Archives the biggest enemy was trying to assemble the army tentage as they set-up their display at the Crystal Ridge Arena in Ridgeway. The museum volunteers had been preparing since early spring when it was decided that the museum would participate in the commemoration event of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Ridgeway.

It was agreed upon that despite the risk, we would take one of our most important artifacts; the tunic belonging to Ensign Malcolm McEachren who fell in the battle that day and would become the first soldier to die in battle from the regiment. The tunic would be the centre piece of the display.

Ensign McEachern’s tunic on display

The volunteers also produced a set of pop-up signs and posters describing the battle and the part the Queen’s Own played in it.

Museum display tent

At the last minute it was determined that the Snider Enfield rifle that was carried by Rifleman John Mewburn during the battle until he was shot would also be available to be put on display thanks to a generous and trusting owner. The rifle was taken back to the University of Toronto by his student comrades after he fell in battle. It was held by the school for many years but it is said it was sold-off after a fire in the late 1890’s.

One of the most popular exhibits was a cut-out of QOR soldiers for people to pose for pictures with.

The day turned out to be a complete success; almost 500 people visited the display, the weather was perfect, the volunteers were able to to tell the story of the regiment and its soldiers, and all the artifacts were returned safely to the museum and their owners.

On Thursday March 31, we were pleased to host the launch of the “From Vimy to Juno” travelling exhibit and education program. The exhibit was created by the Juno Beach Centre in partnership with the Vimy Foundation and with funding support from the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Thanks to the Liberty Entertainment Group, operators of Casa Loma, the reception was held in the beautiful Casa Loma library with about 150 people present through the evening.

The formal remarks phase of the event was MC’d by Juno Beach Centre Executive Director Jenna Zuschlag Misener and included remarks by Jeremy Diamond, Executive Director of the Vimy Foundation; Major Shawn Stewart, Deputy Commanding Officer of The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada; and the Juno Beach Centre Association President Mr Don Cooper. The formal portion of the evening was concluded by the Honorable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs who spoke and formally announced the Government of Canada’s support of this project.

We were also pleased to have three regimental skirmishers present and a brass quintet from the Regimental Band which performed throughout the evening.

A contingent of re-enactors from both WWI and WWII also provided excellent displays and contributed to the exhibit atmosphere with their period dress.

Thanks also to our museum volunteers who helped through the evening.

At the end of the night the exhibit was moved to the Austin Room on the third floor and accessible from our Museum area where it will remain until April 17 when it will then move on to its next location.

The exhibit includes a major educational component and JBC has worked with Lisa Kaplan at Casa Loma on how this can be effectively used by visiting school groups over the coming weeks.

All packs, Haversacks, Greatcoats (inside belt), ground sheet, to be marked with Rank, Name, Number and Coy mark.

Assault troops are all that land on “D” day.

1 suit of denim to be collected at a later date.

Serge suit for all assault personnel, both riding & marching, less those with coys, will be turned in when notified to coy stores. They will be marked as laid down. They will be returned after “D” day.

Serge suit for those on follow up vehicles will be put in their Blanket rolls.

Remembrance Day programfeatures soldiers of The Queen’s Own Riflesof Canada, along with guest speakers Peter Vronsky, Bob Richardson, Eric McGeer, guided tours of QORoC Regimental Museum and performances by The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Band and Bugles

Soldiers, cadets and veterans with ID or in uniform will receive complimentary admission to Casa Loma

Canada (originally named 2nd Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada) was formed on April 26, 1860. Predating the Confederation of Canada and the country’s oldest continuously-serving infantry regiment, The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada(QORoC) saw action at Ridgeway, South Africa, the Somme, Vimy, Passchendaele and Normandy among other battles. The Reserve unit was re-designated as The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada on 11 February 1971 and remains an active Toronto militia unit today with the task of providing a fully trained parachute company when required. While once comprised almost exclusively of those with British heritage, today its soldiers reflect the wide ethnic diversity of our city.

The day’s activities will feature guided tours of the museum’s exhibits, an opportunity to chat with soldiers who saw service in Afghanistan and Bosnia, photo opportunities with soldiers in 19th Century uniforms, displays and demonstrations of modern day military equipment, activities for children and youth and, commencing in the afternoon, The Queen’s Own Rifles Regimental Band and Bugles will perform in the Great Hall.

“We’re excited to show the evolution of The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada from its formation in 1860 to the regiment of today – both what’s different in terms of equipment and training, and what traditions still exist,” says museum curator and retired Major John Stephens.

Special guest speakers will be at Casa Loma throughout the day including Canadian author, filmmaker and investigative historian Peter Vronsky (Ridgeway: The American Fenian Invasion and the 1866 Battle That Made Canada) who will discuss the QORoC participation in the 1866 Battle of Ridgeway; The Western Front Association member Bob Richardson who will talk about researching your First World War army ancestors; and teacher, historian and author Eric McGeer (Words of Valediction and Remembrance: Canadian Epitaphs of the Second World War) who will talk about 3rd Battalion epitaphs of the First World War.

Soldiers and cadets with ID or in uniform, and veterans in an association blazer will be offered complimentary admission to Casa Loma on Saturday, November 9, as well as on Sunday, November 10. For program details and admission prices to Casa Loma, please visit: www.casalomo.org

Casa Loma was the former estate of Major General Sir Henry Pellatt, CVO(January 6, 1859 – March 8, 1939) a prominent Toronto financier, industrialist and military man. Travels in Europe gave him the love for fine art and architecture that would spur his vision of Casa Loma, his “house on the hill,” which took three years and $3.5 million to build in the early 1900s. This romantic side was uniquely juxtaposed by his other lifelong passion: his involvement with The Queen’s Own Rifles. Sir Henry, who joined The Queen’s Own Rifles as a rifleman in 1876, was knighted in 1905 for his military service with The Regiment, upon which he spent many hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Regiment’s band was often engaged to entertain guests at the castle.

In 1910, at his own expense, to mark The Regiment’s 50th anniversary, Sir Henry took the entire 600 man regiment – including its horses – to England for military exercises from 13 August to 3 October. The museum, filled with memorabilia relating to the Regiment, dating as far back as the date of its formation in 1860 and its involvement in every military action undertaken by Canada since then, attracts thousands of visitors from around the world each year. For more information about Casa Loma, please visit: www.casaloma.org